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Special | 3m 2s | Video has closed captioning.
After 30 years away from her hometown of Milwaukee, Sharon Adams moved back into the house where she grew up. As she was fixing up her family home, Sharon needed an electrician. That’s when she met her now-husband, Larry. At StoryCorps, they remembered how as their relationship grew, so did their involvement in the community. When Sharon Adams moved back
Aired: 02/02/23
♪♪ ♪♪ -I was a contractor, and I was asked to come rewire the house.
And somewhere, you asked, did I want tea.
I had five jobs going on at the same time.
I'm smoking two packs of cigarettes a day and didn't have time for none of that, but out of my mouth came, "Yes."
-And you drank tea with me, and you fixed my switch.
-Free of charge.
-Free of charge.
[ Both chuckle ] And I knew you were looking at me, and I had never met anyone who had such a gentleness and a firmness at the same time and wouldn't let me look deep into his eyes.
-I wanted to finish the job so that I could fire myself from the job.
Then I would engage in dealing with you.
-So we didn't see each other for a while.
-That's true.
-And then... -Then we went for ice cream.
-That was our first date.
-I'm thankful to God every day since.
And I remember in conversation you told me Walnut Street was a place, historically, where African-American entrepreneurs had resided.
And in this area, there were elm trees up and down the block that kissed in the middle of the street.
-Right.
So it was very dark on this block, right?
'Cause most of the homes were boarded.
-It was?
-And Christmas Eve, we were sitting in the kitchen, looking out.
-And you said, "What's going on with the flickering of those lights?"
And it was crack pipes.
-We looked at each other and said, "This is" -- -It's not right.
-It's not right.
-And you said... -I want you to do that house, please.
I did say please, right?
-Oh, absolutely.
Your eyes always say please.
That was the first renovation on this block.
-So the renovation of our own home became secondary to the renovation of our community.
And there is such a blessing in the commitment that you and I have for each other.
And I get great joy when that commitment manifests itself, block by block, household by household.
-Before, I was renovating homes, but to take it deeper to renovate communities is a purposeful life.
-I love you.
-Love you, too, baby.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪
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